2002 General Assembly
Major Legislation Tracked by DMHMRSAS
The Bill Links below will take you to the full Bill Summary and Status Pages in the Legislative Information System
Document/ Document Title
Patron
Lead List
|
L. Karen Darner Continued
to 2003 in House Courts of Justice |
Juvenile
not guilty by reason of insanity. Recognizes the finding of "not guilty by reason
of insanity" for a child charged with a delinquent act in juvenile court proceedings.
The bill closely parallels the adult statute on not guilty by reason of insanity. If the
court finds a child not guilty, and the child meets commitment criteria, the court may
commit the child to the Department of Mental Health, Mental Retardation and Substance
Abuse Services for treatment. If the child is not committed to DMHMRSAS, the court may
refer the child to the local family assessment and planning team for services under the
Comprehensive Services Act for At-Risk Youth and Families. The bill adds such children to
the mandated service pool under the Act. |
|
Jack A. Rollison, III Approved
by Governor Chapter
No. 315 Acts
of Assembly |
Minors'
consent to treatment for substance abuse. Provides that a parent, legal guardian or
person standing in loco parentis will not be prevented from obtaining the results of a
minor's non-diagnostic drug test when the minor is not receiving care, treatment or
rehabilitation for substance abuse. |
|
George Broman, Jr. Approved
by Governor Chapter
No. 203 Acts
of Assembly |
Health;
investigation of deaths. Adds patients or residents of state mental health or mental
retardation facilities who have died to the list of those deaths that must be reported to
the medical examiner of the locality in which the facility is located. A copy of the
autopsy report must be provided to the Commissioner of and Inspector General for Mental
Health, Mental Retardation and Substance Abuse Services. The Department will pay the fee
for such services. |
|
Jeannemarie Devolites Approved
by Governor Chapter
No. 712 Acts
of Assembly |
Criminal
background checks; substance abuse treatment professionals. Permits community services
boards, behavioral health authorities and agencies licensed by the Department of Mental
Health, Mental Retardation and Substance Abuse Services to hire for adult substance abuse
treatment programs persons who were convicted of a broader list of crimes: a misdemeanor
violation relating to (i) unlawful hazing as set out in §18.2-56; or (ii) reckless
handling of a firearm as set out in §18.2-56.1; any misdemeanor or felony violation
related to (a) reckless endangerment of others by throwing objects as set out in
§18.2-51.3; (b) threat as set out in §18.2-60; (c) breaking and entering a dwelling
house with intent to commit other misdemeanor as set out in §18.2-92; or (d) possession
of burglarious tools as set out in §18.2-94; or any felony violation relating to the
distribution of drugs as set out in Article 1 (§18.2-247 et seq.) of Chapter 7 of Title
18.2, except an offense pursuant to subsection H. 1. or H. 2. of §18.2-248 (drug lord
offenses); or an equivalent offense in another state. The hiring provider must determine,
based upon a screening assessment, that the criminal behavior was related to the
applicant's use of substances, and that the person has been successfully rehabilitated. |
|
Vivian E. Watts Continued
to 2003 in House Health, Welfare and Institutions |
Involuntary
temporary detention; medical screenings. Requires that each order for involuntary
temporary detention of a person (i) include a medical certificate signed by a psychiatrist
or physician within the previous 72 hours documenting that a medical examination was
performed and the results thereof, including any significant or life-threatening medical
conditions that require immediate treatment, or (ii) shall require that the person receive
an emergency medical evaluation by a psychiatrist or physician within 4 hours and, as may
be necessary, receive treatment of any significant or life-threatening medical conditions
that require immediate treatment. The bill permits a magistrate to issue an order of
temporary detention without a prior in-person evaluation only if (a) the person was
examined within the previous 72 hours by both an employee or designee of the local
community services board (CSB) and by a psychiatrist or physician or (b) there is a
significant risk associated with conducting such examinations. The facility of temporary
detention shall be identified by the employee or designee of the local CSB on the
pre-screening report and temporary detention order, unless the results of the emergency
medical evaluation performed within four hours of temporary detention require admission to
a medical facility prior to placement. |
|
A. Victor Thomas Approved
by Governor Chapter
No. 271 Acts
of Assembly |
State
facility directors. Amends the provision that required all state facility directors
hired by the Commissioner of the Department of Mental Health, Mental Retardation and
Substance Abuse Services after July 1, 1999, to be employed under a two-year contract,
with provisions for annual renewals thereafter to allow facility directors to also be
employed as classified employees. Further, any facility director hired under a contract
shall remain subject to the provisions of the State Grievance Procedure. |
|
Phillip A. Hamilton Approved
by Governor Chapter
No. 585 Acts
of Assembly |
Acute
care psychiatric and residential beds; children and adolescents; data collection and
reporting. Requires the community policy and management teams, i.e., groups within the
structure of the Comprehensive Services Act, to submit to the Department of Mental Health,
Mental Retardation and Substance Abuse Services information on children under the age of
14 and adolescents between the ages of 14 to 17 for whom an admission to an acute care
psychiatric or residential treatment facility (but not a group home) was sought but was
not obtained. This information will be gathered from the family assessment and planning
team or participating community agencies. The information to be submitted will include the
child's date of birth, date of attempted admission, and the reason the admission could not
be obtained. Further, identical information on failure to obtain admissions of children
must be reported by the local community services boards to the Department. The Department
of Mental Health, Mental Retardation and Substance Abuse Services will also collect and
compile data to ascertain (i) the total number of inpatient acute care psychiatric beds
for children under the age of 14 and between the ages of 14 and 17, and (ii) the total
number of residential treatment beds for children under the age of 14 and between the ages
of 14 and 17, exclusive of group homes. The Department will report this data on a
quarterly basis to the Chairmen of the House Committee on Appropriations and the Senate
Committee on Finance and the Virginia Commission on Youth. This bill is identical to SB
426. |
|
Phillip A. Hamilton Approved
by Governor Chapter
No. 278 Acts
of Assembly |
Community
services boards; services. Clarifies that the services that may be available through a
community services board are to be provided to "adults, children and
adolescents" rather than to "persons." |
|
Robert F. McDonnell Approved
by Governor Chapter
No. 803 Acts
of Assembly |
Restructuring
of mental health care system. For any restructuring of the system of mental health
services involving existing state mental health facilities, the Commissioner must
establish a state and community consensus and planning team. Each team must develop a plan
that addresses (i) the types, amounts, and locations of new and expanded community
services that would be needed; (ii) the development of a detailed implementation plan
designed to build community mental health infrastructure for current and future capacity
needs; (iii) the creation of new and enhanced community services; (iv) the transition of
state facility patients to community services in the locality of their residence prior to
institutionalization or the locality of their choice; (v) the resolution of issues
relating to the restructuring implementation process, including employment issues related
to state facility employee transition planning and appropriate transitional benefits; and
(vi) a six-year projection comparing the cost of the current structure and the proposed
structure. In addition, the bill requires the Commissioner to ensure that each plan
includes the following components: (a) a plan for community education; (b) a plan for the
implementation of required community services, including state-of-the-art practice models
and any models required to meet the unique characteristics of the area to be served, which
may include models for rural areas; (c) a plan for assuring the availability of adequate
staff in the affected communities, including specific strategies for transferring
qualified state-facility employees to community services; (d) a plan for assuring the
development, funding, and implementation of individualized discharge plans for individuals
discharged; and (e) a provision for suspending implementation of the plan if the total
general funds appropriated to the Department for state facility and community services
decrease, in any year of plan implementation by more than 10 percent from the year in
which the plan was approved by the General Assembly. Further, the bill states that at
least nine months prior to any proposed facility closure or conversion to any use other
than the provision of mental health services, the state and community consensus and
planning team must submit a plan to the Joint Commission on Health Care and the Governor
for review and recommendation. The Joint Commission on Health Care will then make a
recommendation to the General Assembly. Upon approval by the General Assembly and the
Governor of such recommendation, the Commissioner may implement the proposed facility
closure or conversion of the facility to any use other than the provision of mental health
service. Any funds saved by the closure or conversion of the facility to any use other
than the provision of mental health services, and not allocated to individualized services
plans for patients being transferred or discharged as a result of the closure or
conversion, will be invested in the Mental Health Trust Fund. Further, concurrent with the
development of any required plan for restructuring Eastern State Hospital, the
Commissioner, in consultation with the Chancellor of the Community College System, the
President of Thomas Nelson Community College, and the President of the College of William
and Mary or their designees, and with the advice of the state and community consensus and
planning team, must assess the impact and feasibility of using a portion of the property
now occupied by Eastern State Hospital located in James City County for the placement of a
new campus of Thomas Nelson Community College and the development of a Center for
Excellence in Aging and Geriatric Health. The Commissioner is authorized, upon
completion of the feasibility study and a plan, and, with the consent of the Governor, to
transfer to Thomas Nelson Community College a portion of the Eastern State Hospital
property known as the Hancock Geriatric Treatment
Center. This transfer
will be subject to the following conditions: (i) the
college operating a school
of allied health professions and (ii) funds equal to
the assessed value of
the property being deposited in the Mental Health, Mental Retardation and Substance Abuse
Services Trust Fund. |
|
A. Victor Thomas Approved
by Governor Chapter
No. 557 Acts
of Assembly |
Discharge
of patients and residents from state facilities. Requires directors of training
centers for persons with mental retardation to prepare a pre-discharge plan for residents
in conjunction with the community services board that serves the political subdivision
where the resident resided prior to admission or by the board that serves the political
subdivision where the resident or legally authorized representative chooses to reside if
the resident or his legally authorized representative on his behalf chooses to be
discharged. The bill states that no resident of a training center who is enrolled in
Medicaid will be discharged if the resident or his legally authorized representative on
his behalf chooses to continue in the training center. Legally authorized representatives
will make this decision if the resident lacks the mental capacity to do so. Finally, the
bill requires that pre-discharge plans for all individuals discharged to an assisted
living facility from state hospitals or training centers must identify the facility,
document its appropriateness for housing and capacity to care for the individual, contain
evidence of the facility's agreement to admit and care for the individual, and describe
how the community services board will monitor the individual's care in the facility. |
|
John S. Edwards Continued
to 2003 in Senate Courts of Justice |
Mental
health courts; pilot program. Directs the Office of the Executive Secretary of the
Supreme Court to establish no less than two and no more than five mental health courts for
nonviolent offenders with serious mental illnesses in Virginia by January 1, 2003. |
|
Stephen H. Martin Approved
by Governor Chapter
No. 50 Acts
of Assembly |
Mental
Health; board membership. Adds a practicing psychiatrist to the State Board of Mental
Health, Mental Retardation and Substance Abuse Services. |
|
Nick Rerras Approved
by Governor Chapter
No. 51 Acts
of Assembly |
Community
services boards; services. Same as HB
888 |
|
R. Edward Houck Approved
by Governor Chapter
No. 619 Acts
of Assembly |
Acute
care psychiatric and residential beds; children and adolescents; data collection and
reporting. Same as HB 887 |
|
Janet D. Howell Approved
by Governor Chapter
No. 750 Acts
of Assembly |
Persons
acquitted of misdemeanors by reason of insanity. Provides that a person found not
guilty of a misdemeanor by reason of insanity shall remain in the custody of the
Commissioner of Mental Health and Mental Retardation for a period not to exceed one year
from the date of acquittal and also provides that prior to or at the conclusion of one
year, if the Commissioner determines that the acquittee meets the criteria for conditional
or unconditional release, emergency custody, temporary detention or involuntary
commitment, he shall file a petition to accomplish same. The Commissioner must notify the
committing attorney for the Commonwealth prior to release. |
|
Janet D. Howell Approved
by Governor Chapter
No. 80 Acts
of Assembly |
Medical
treatment of incapacitated persons. Expands the medical treatment statute that applies
to incapacitated patients and residents of state mental health and mental retardation
facilities to apply to incapacitated community services board consumers and to include
dental treatment. A licensed health professional or licensed hospital will not be subject
to liability arising from a claim based on lack of informed consent or be prohibited from
providing services when a delay in treatment might adversely affect the recovery of an
individual who has no guardian or committee and who is receiving community mental health
services from a community services board or behavioral health authority if two physicians
(or dentists in the case of dental treatment) document this in writing. This bill is a
recommendation of the Select Committee on Substitute Consent for People with Mental
Disabilities. |
|
Bill Bolling Approved
by Governor Chapter
No. 56 Acts
of Assembly |
Licensure
of providers of services. Grants the Commissioner of the Department of Mental Health,
Mental Retardation and Substance Abuse Services the authority to issue licenses to
providers of day support, in-home support or crisis stabilization services funded through
the Individual and Families Developmental Disabilities Support Waiver. The Department of
Rehabilitative Services shall collaborate with the Department of Mental Health, Mental
Retardation and Substance Abuse Services in activities related to licensing providers of
services under such waiver. These activities include involving advocacy and consumer
groups who represent persons with developmental disabilities in the regulatory process;
training the Department of Mental Health, Mental Retardation and Substance Abuse Services,
local human rights committees and the State Human Rights Committee on the unique needs and
preferences of individuals with developmental disabilities; assisting in the development
of regulatory requirements for such providers; and providing technical assistance in the
regulatory process and in performing annual inspections and complaint investigations. |
|
Emmet W. Hanger, Jr. Approved
by Governor Chapter
No. 176 Acts
of Assembly |
Property
conveyance. Authorizes the Department of Mental Health, Mental Retardation and
Substance Abuse Services to transfer to the Frontier Culture Museum of Virginia
approximately 61 acres in Augusta County, part of the old Dejarnette site. |
|
Charles R. Hawkins Approved
by Governor Chapter No. 62 Acts
of Assembly |
Discharge
of patients and residents from state facilities. Same
as HB 1228 |
Secondary List
|
Phillip A. Hamilton Approved
by Governor Chapter
No. 82 Acts
of Assembly |
Inspector
General for Mental Health, Mental Retardation and Substance Abuse Services. Requires the written reports of the Inspector General
concerning facility inspections to be transmitted to the Governor for his review and
comment, as deemed necessary and deletes the requirement that, prior to release of the
Inspector General's reports, the Inspector General must obtain assurances from the
Attorney General that the reports do not violate confidentiality laws. The Inspector
General must, insofar as feasible, provide copies of the semiannual reports to the
Governor in advance of the date for their submission to the General Assembly to provide a
reasonable opportunity for comments of the Governor to be appended to the reports when
submitted to the General Assembly. The Department of Mental Health, Mental Retardation and
Substance Abuse Services must comment on any recommendations made by the Inspector
General. |
|
Phillip A. Hamilton Approved
by Governor Chapter
No. 572 Acts
of Assembly |
Persons
with mental retardation, developmental disabilities, or mental illness. Revises the
external human rights system for persons with mental retardation, developmental
disabilities, or mental illness. The Department for Rights of Virginians with Disabilities
is removed from the executive branch and becomes an independent state agency renamed the
Virginia Office for Protection and Advocacy. The bill creates a governing board for the
Office, consisting of 11 members who are appointed by the Governor and the General
Assembly for staggered terms. No such appointments shall be members of the General
Assembly. This board shall hire the agency director, who shall be an attorney in good
standing licensed to practice in Virginia. The Office is given the authority to access
facilities and programs, receive notification of deaths in state facilities and to protect
the confidentiality of records. The bill establishes an ombudsman program, within the new
office, to become effective July 1, 2004, and creates the Protection and Advocacy Fund. |
|
Jeannemarie Devolites Approved
by Governor Chapter
No. 383 Acts
of Assembly |
Health
professions; substance abuse counselors. Removes the deemed certification language for
those persons who meet the certification standards for a certified substance abuse
counselor in effect prior to July 1, 2001. Current law provides that those persons who are
certified under the standards in effect prior to July 1, 2001, will be deemed to hold
certification at the appropriate level under the new provisions, when adopted, unless such
certification is suspended or revoked. The current Code language is repealed; however,
retained language requires the Board to certify individuals who applied before the new
certification regulations became effective if they met the requirements in place prior to
July 1, 2001. Thus, the deeming language is no longer necessary. |
|
Harvey B. Morgan Approved
by Governor Chapter
No. 410 Acts
of Assembly |
Comprehensive
Services for At-Risk Youth and Families. Requires the State Executive Council (SEC) to
provide for public participation and comment in developing a dispute resolution procedure
and to consult with local governments about state policies governing the use, distribution
and monitoring of moneys in the state pool of funds and the state trust fund. The bill
clarifies the SEC's role in establishing and overseeing the dispute resolution procedure
and requires formal notice, which means the SEC must provide a letter of notification that
communicates its formal finding, explains the effect of the finding, and describes the
appeal process, to the chief administrative officer of the local government with a copy to
the chair of the Community Policy and Management Team (CPMT). The dispute resolution
procedure shall also include provisions for remediation by the CPMT, which shall include a
submission by the CPMT of a plan of correction to the Council. The bill clarifies that at
no time either prior to or during the course of the implementation of the plan of
correction shall the SEC deny reimbursement for services rendered and that the denial of
state funding shall only be for failure to provide services. Finally, the bill requires
the Director of the Office of Comprehensive Services for At-Risk Youth and Families to
implement, in collaboration with participating state agencies, policies, guidelines and
procedures adopted by the SEC and to consult regularly with local government
representatives about implementation and operation of the Comprehensive Services Act. |
|
M. Kirkland Cox Approved
by Governor Chapter
No. 281 Acts
of Assembly |
Sale
or lease of surplus property. Requires the Secretary of Natural Resources to issue a
written opinion as to whether surplus property being sold is a significant part of the
Commonwealth's natural or historic resources. |
|
James F. Almand Continued
to 2003 in House Courts of Justice |
Imposition
of the death sentence upon mentally retarded defendants prohibited. Prohibits the
imposition of the death penalty upon a mentally retarded defendant. The bill makes it
clear that the prohibition does not prevent a defendant from being charged with or tried
for a capital offense, convicted of a Class 1 felony or prevent the court from sentencing
the defendant to imprisonment for life pursuant to §18.2-10. |
|
Janet D. Howell Approved
by Governor Chapter
No. 662 Acts
of Assembly |
Pre-sentence
mental evaluation of sex offenders. Requires the examiner’s report to be
confidential except as needed for the prosecution or defense of an offense or for
assessment by the Attorney General for civil commitment and requires that it be sealed
once the sentencing order is entered. The
defendant is required to return to the court his copy of the report at the conclusion of
sentencing. |
|
Benjamin J. Lambert, III Governor’s
Recommendation Adopted Chapter
835 Acts
of Assembly |
Sharing
of protected health information between state agencies. Declares the coordination of
prevention and control of disease, injury, or disability and the delivery of health care
benefits to be (i) necessary public health activities; (ii) necessary health oversight
activities for the integrity of the health care system; and (iii) necessary to prevent
serious harm and serious threats to the health and safety of individuals and the public.
The Departments of Health, Medical Assistance Services, Mental Health, Mental Retardation
and Substance Abuse Services, and Social Services must establish a secure system for
sharing protected health information that may be necessary for the coordination of
prevention and control of disease, injury, or disability and the delivery of health care
benefits when such protected information concerns individuals who (a) have contracted a
reportable disease, including exposure to a toxic substance, as required by the Board of
Health pursuant to §32.1-35 or other disease or disability required to be reported by
law; (b) are the subjects of public health surveillance, public health investigations, or
public health interventions or are applicants for or recipients of medical assistance
services; (c) have been or are the victims of child abuse or neglect or domestic violence;
or (d) may present a serious threat to the health or safety of a person or the public or
may be subject to a serious threat to their health or safety. Pursuant to the regulations
concerning patient privacy promulgated by the federal Department of Health and Human
Services, covered entities may disclose protected health information to the secure system
without obtaining consent or authorization for such disclosure. Such protected health
information will be used exclusively for the purposes established in this section. The
Office of the Attorney General will advise the Departments in the implementation of this
section. This provision also amends the patient health records privacy statute to note
that providers may make subsequent disclosures of patient records as permitted under the
federal Department of Health and Human Services regulations relating to the electronic
transmission of data and patient privacy promulgated as required by the Health Insurance
Portability and Accountability Act of 1996. In addition, providers may disclose the
records of a patient as authorized by law relating to public health activities, health
oversight activities, serious threats to health or safety or abuse, neglect or domestic
violence or as necessary to the coordination of prevention and control of disease, injury,
or disability and delivery of health care benefits pursuant to the secure system for
sharing protected health information. |
|
John S. Edwards Continued
to 2003 in Senate Courts of Justice |
Death
penalty. Prohibits the imposition of the
death penalty on mentally retarded persons. The bill has a delayed effective date of July
1, 2003. |
|
William C. Mims Approved
by Governor Chapter
No. 754 Acts
of Assembly |
Human
research. Rewrites the definition of human
research. The bill adds agents appointed under advanced directives, legal guardians,
spouses, adult children, and adult siblings to the list of people authorized to give
consent to human research under the definition of "legally authorized
representative". The bill provides that if two or more legally authorized
representatives having the same priority disagree on participation in human research, the
subject will not participate. The bill also changes competent and not-competent to capable
or incapable of making an informed decision. Human research review committees are given
the additional responsibility of determining whether the risks to the subjects are
minimized by using sound research designs and whether additional safeguards are included
when the subjects are a vulnerable population. |
Studies
|
David B. Albo Continued
to 2003 in House Rules |
Database
of available inpatient psychiatric beds for children and adolescents. Requests the
Department of Mental Health, Mental Retardation and Substance Abuse Services, in
conjunction with the Virginia Hospital and Healthcare Association and private providers,
to study the feasibility of developing a web-based system for providing daily updated
information on licensed and available acute psychiatric inpatient beds for children and
adolescents. This study is a recommendation of the Committee Studying Treatment Options
for Offenders with Mental Illness or Substance Abuse Disorders (SJR 440, 2001). Language was included in the Appropriation Act to
require this study. |
|
S. Chris Jones |
Prescription
drugs. Continues the Joint Commission on Prescription Drug Assistance. In continuing
its deliberations, the joint subcommittee shall consider (i) the feasibility of
strengthening the Commonwealth's pharmacy purchasing ability for state programs, (ii)
using the savings generated to create and fund a pharmacy benefits program for low-income
and uninsured elderly persons, such as lowering the cost of existing pharmacy benefit
programs for which state general funds are expended by consolidating pharmacy purchases,
and (iii) pursuing cooperative arrangements with other states to pool pharmacy purchases. |
|
Glenn M. Weatherholtz and Steve Martin |
Treatment
Needs of Offenders with Mental Illness or Substance Abuse Disorders. Continues the
study of certain mental health needs, training, and treatment issues begun by Committee
Studying Treatment Options for Offenders with Mental Illness or Substance Abuse Disorders,
(SJR 440) under the auspices of the Joint Commission on Behavioral Health Care, the
Virginia State Crime Commission and the Commission on Youth. The resolution also requests
certain Secretaries and state agencies to provide information or commence specific action
related to such issues. Specifically, the resolution requests the (i) Secretary of Public
Safety, in conjunction with the Secretary of Health and Human Resources and the Secretary
of Administration to evaluate the effectiveness of treatment services provided to and
needed by state responsible offenders; (ii) the Department of Corrections and the
Department of Mental Health, Mental Retardation and Substance Abuse Services to examine
access to medications and the management of medications for released offenders; (iii) the
Office of the Executive Secretary of the Supreme Court to examine the development of a
model court order that addresses mental health services; (iv) the Department of Mental
Health, Mental Retardation and Substance Abuse Services to explore ways to communicate
information to providers about innovative practices for serving offenders with mental
health and substance abuse treatment needs; (v) the Department of Medical Assistance
Services, in conjunction with the Department of Corrections and the Department of Juvenile
Justice, to examine the accessibility to Medicaid benefits by eligible offenders
immediately upon their release; (vi) the Department of Juvenile Justice to design and
implement a uniform mental health screening instrument for juvenile offenders admitted to
secure detention facilities and the feasibility of implementing a uniform screening and
interview process for pre-dispositional investigations; and (vii) the Department of Mental
Health, Mental Retardation and Substance Abuse Services, in conjunction with the Office of
the Executive Secretary of the Virginia Supreme Court, the Department of Criminal Justice
Services and the Department of Juvenile Justice to develop and recommend ways to implement
a curriculum for cross-training law-enforcement officers, judges, jail and detention home
staff, and community mental health treatment staff in security and treatment services. All
agencies must report their findings and recommendations to the Committee Studying
Treatment Options for Offenders with Mental Illness or Substance Abuse Disorders by
September 30, 2002. The Committee Studying Treatment Options for Offenders with Mental
Illness or Substance Abuse Disorders shall report its written findings and
recommendations, including the reports of the Secretaries and state agencies referenced
herein, to the Governor and the 2004 Session of the General Assembly. |
|
Vivian E. Watts |
Licensing
residential placements. Requests that the Departments of Mental Health, Mental
Retardation and Substance Abuse Services, Health, Medical Assistance Services, and Social
Services work together to develop a joint or cooperative methodology or a singular
licensing entity for residential services for individuals with mental disabilities or
substance abuse problems. The Departments shall seek participation and input from
representatives of appropriate stakeholder groups, including representatives from the
Community Services Boards, NAMI-Virginia, the Substance Abuse and Addiction and Recovery
Association, the ARC of Virginia, the Parents and Associates of the Institutionalized
Retarded, the Virginia Hospital and Healthcare Association, the Virginia Health Care
Association, the Virginia Association of Nonprofit Homes for the Aging, and the
Association of Assisted Living Facilities. |
|
Marian Van Landingham |
Medicaid
Buy-in program. Requests the Department of Medical Assistance Services, in
collaboration with the Department of Rehabilitative Services and the Department for Rights
of Virginians with Disabilities, or its successor in interest, to proceed with the
development of Medicaid Buy-In opportunity for working Virginians with disabilities. In
developing the opportunity, the Department of Medical Assistance Services must utilize the
Medicaid Infrastructure grant to identify the steps needed to implement an effective
Medicaid Buy-In Program for Virginia, with the goal of utilizing data to develop initial
legislation and budgetary recommendations that will be necessary to implement the Buy-In.
The Department must report its written findings and recommendations to the Governor and
the 2003 Session of the General Assembly This resolution is a recommendation of the
Disability Commission and is identical to SJR 128 (Puller). |
|
Marian Van Landingham And Robert
S. Bloxom |
Housing
for persons with disabilities. Encourages the Virginia Disability Commission to make
the identification of improved housing opportunities for citizens with disabilities its
top priority for the 2002-2003 interim session and to facilitate collaboration among
stakeholders to develop recommendations for strengthening intergovernmental and
interagency coordination of housing programs for people with disabilities. The Commission
is requested to expand its work group to include the participation and involvement of all
federal, state, local and community agencies, organizations and individuals concerned
about housing for people with disabilities. In addition, the Commission and its work group
are encouraged to develop a Housing Action Plan that (i) identifies the mission,
composition, responsibilities, and funding for an intergovernmental, interagency
coordinating body on housing and disability issues; (ii) identifies actionable strategies
consistent with the mission and responsibilities of state housing agencies for the
maximizing use of Section 8 programs and other federal housing and housing production
programs for individuals with disabilities in Virginia; and (iii) develops a system of
incentives and rewards for building accessible housing. The Commission is also encouraged
to make use of existing research and presentation opportunities, including the annual
state housing conference, to bring about optimal statewide attention to the housing needs
of people with disabilities and available federal opportunities. |